Perfectly Poisoned
by Authoress1001
Summary: Ravenkit's life is seemingly perfect. But all that seems good can change at the whip of a tail. And for Ravenkit, it has changed everything. It has changed her whole life, and her future depends on how she faces it.
1. Chapter 1

I open my eyes, and for the first time, I see the world. Sweet and milky scents surround me; I am warm, a body curls around me, a pelt of gray and white. I push out a paw instinctively. I knead the soft fur and inch closer to drink from a belly. The pelt moves, and a face of love greets me. She is beautiful, her eyes are the color of bluebells, her muzzle narrow and symmetrical. The fur lining her cheeks is silky and pretty. I purr at this radiant figure. Her jowls part to reveal perfectly white teeth, and she makes a sound.

"Hello, Ravenkit. I am your mother, Petalcloud. I will take care of you and your siblings, my sweet kit."

I soon realize that I am not the only one besides my mother in the den. Fuzzy kittens, three of them, lay by me. One wakes up; he is a smoky gray tom-kit. His blue eyes, rimmed with gold, flutter as if for the first time. I realize that this must be his first time opening his eyes; I was the first kit in my litter to see the world. He cocks his head and looks at me. He has a certain scent. Similar to my mother's scent and mine. "Hi." My voice squeaks, not as I expected. Our mother peers down at my gray brother. "Smokekit, I see you've associated yourself with your sister, Ravenkit. Your other sister and brother should open their eyes soon en-" Petalcloud's sentence stops as another pair of eyes open, belonging to a black tom with amber eyes. The outlining of his fur is dark brown, the color lining his eyes and lips, and the rims of his ears. He looks at Smokekit, Petalcloud, and then me. He squeals happily. Our mother meows softly, "Sparrowkit. Meet Smokekit and Ravenkit. They are your littermates, and I am Petalcloud, your mother."

A fourth kit opens her eyes, and sneezes, for her kitten-fluff had tickled her nose. She has a fluffy white pelt, her eyes an icy blue. "Icekit," Petalcloud explains the introductions accordingly.

"Is it just us?" Sparrowkit asks. Our mother shakes her head.

"There are other kits for you to play with, but we'd best not wake them now. They've opened their eyes earlier," she meows softly. She flicks her long tail. "Why don't you explore camp, young ones?"

"Alright!" Smokekit squeals, quietly yet excitedly. Icekit twitches her ears happily, waving her tail.

"Let's explore!" She mews at a low volume. We follow each other out of the small den of brambles. All of our jaws drop when we see how big the camp is. It's huge! Paths are worn into the grass from the cats that walk them. The grass around the path is lush and soft. We see dens, towering over us, as we are small at this age. I smell different scents around me, cats are busy. Sending out patrols, patching up dens, sharing prey with friends. "Wow," I meow. "Camp is so big! So many cats..." My paws pull me toward a mix of sharp and sweet scents, strong and weak scents, smells of plants. My siblings follow me into a den, where a brown, white, and black tabby is piling up leaves, seeds, berries, so many herbs that are unknown to me. Of course, us kits are curious. Sparrowkit tilts his head. "What are you doing?" He asks the tabby. She twitches her whiskers in amusement. She replies, "Well, first things first, I am Leafmist, Medicine Cat of ShadowClan. And I'm sorting herbs." Sparrowkit waves his tail happily, curious about the herbs.

"What are they for?" He questions. Leafmist looks a little surprised at Sparrowkit's interest in herbs. "Well," she explains, pointing to a variety of herbs with her tail. "The little black seeds are to help you sleep, they are called poppy seeds. This is tansy, it's good for scratches, as well as dock and marigold..." Leafmist trails off, for Smokekit looks like he might fall asleep from boredom. "Why don't you go explore some more, youngsters?" Smokekit perks up, and flicks his tail to lead us out. But Sparrowkit flattens his ears and wails, "But I wanna learn about the plants! Leafmist, please teach me more!" Leafmist looks down at my brother. "Of course. Now you others come and get him when your mother calls you inside." Smokekit, Icekit, and I nod in response.

"Okay. We will," I call over my shoulder as we leave. As I step out, Leafmist continues the lesson. "Juniper berries and watermint help when you have a tummy ache, and catmint is very important..."

I bound forward and peek into a den. Only a few figures are curled into their nests, but other scents, a little stale, remain. A cat enters, a black tom with amber eyes. His pelt is long, like furry feathers. He looks and smells familiar, but I can't place a claw on it. He purrs, "You've opened your eyes, my kits! I am your father, Blackfeather."

Now I see the resemblance. His fluffy pelt is like that of Icekit's fur texture, golden eyes belonging to Sparrowkit. His long, agile legs are a trait that I have from him, as I am taller than my brothers and sister. I wonder what I look like, just then. I ask, "What do I look like, father?" Blackfeather chuffs kindly and brings his tail around me, leading me out of the den and showing me to a pool of clear water. My brother and sister sit around it, staring at their reflections. I look down and I see what I appear to others. My eyes are icy blue, around the edges they are silver, and closer to my pupils is rimmed with amber. My sleek frame suggests I am quick, my face that of a clever young cat. My fur is silky, I see my long plume of a tail. I am a shade of black, but if I turn just right, the sunlight makes it look dark blue. My underbelly is white, I have white tipped ears and tail, with a sharp white mark on my forehead, coming off my crown. I think I am beautiful. I look perfect. I twitch my ear happily. My siblings are shocked by their appearances, and Smokekit laughs, "Icekit! You look like a dandelion!"

Icekit flicks her ear. "I do! Ha!" She squeals. I meow curiously, "Let's go over there." I point my tail in the direction of a large, drooping bush that appears to be a den. Smokekit and Icekit follow me to it. We enter, and the voices of older cats, voices raspy, are meowing to one another. Among these cats is a ginger tom, a brown and white she-cat, a black and gray tom, and a pale yellow she-cat. The golden elder gazes at us, the eyes of the others following. "Hello, kits," she rasps. "Welcome to the elders' den." She flicks her tail, introducing the others. "This is Sunflame, Dawnlight, Snakefang, and I'm Honeyflower."

Sunflame chuckles.

"Decided to explore camp, have you?" The ginger tom meows. The brown and white she-cat purrs,"I think kits are so adorable, Sunflame. Kits, would you like to hear a story?" She asks. Snakefang hisses and yawns. "I was about to take a nap, Dawnlight. Not now!"

Dawnlight flicks her tail, both in annoyance and to dismiss his behavior.

"Never mind Snakefang. He's just an old grumpy elder. Now, want to hear that story?" She asks us again. Icekit nods, and Smokekit is already sitting, waiting for a story to be told. Dawnlight looked over to Honeyflower, seeming to know that she had a story in mind. The yellow elder began the tale. "One day, ShadowClan was being attacked by ThunderClan, and they were losing. Many cats had to retreat, but one small apprentice stayed in the midst of battle. He knew that if he proved himself, he would be a warrior. He also knew that StarClan was with him. Suddenly, a lightning bolt flashed down and scared off some of the enemies. Soon the apprentice felt pelts brushing beside him-it was ShadowClan ancestors! They helped him in battle, and he won for ShadowClan. You know who that apprentice was?" Honeyflower meows.

"Who? Who?!" I squeak, amazed. Honeyflower's lips pull into a smile at the corners, and she meows, "Your grandfather, Oakstripe."

"Woah!" Smokekit yowls.

"What happened to him?" I ask.

Honeyflower shakes her head and blinks. "He died a few moons before you were born."

Icekit looks disappointed and sad. "Oh..." She mews in a tone that sounds as if she'd been let down. Honeyflower flicks an ear dismissively.

"No matter," she purrs. The pale golden elder waves a paw. "Go on, youngsters. Enjoy camp," she suggests.

We all bound away and look around for something else to explore. Then, a soft yowl sounds from the nursery. "Time to come in, kits!" It was Petalcloud, calling us in for the sunset. Sparrowkit hears and joins us in the bramble den. Our mother gathers us to clean us up. After she has bathed us, we cuddle close to her belly, having a meal of great amounts. Petalcloud purrs softly, "What a big day you must have had!"

And with that, I close my eyes and drift into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

I open my eyes to Smokekit prodding me in the side with a soft paw. "We get to meet the other kits today, Ravenkit!" He chimes. "They're outside! Let's go!" Smokekit speeds out of the nursery, and I follow, bursting with energy. About seven other kits are outside, not including me and my siblings. I can tell which litter the kits belong to by their colors and body builds, all three queens rest and supervise nearby. A white she-cat with very light patches of gray introduces herself and her kits. "I am Palemist ," she meows kindly. "And these are my kits, Bluekit, Silverkit, and Mintkit!"

The three she-kits seem nice. Bluekit is a blue-gray kit, with gray eyes. The silvery fur and light eyes fit Silverkit's name perfectly, and Mintkit is white, with a dark gray splash on her pink nose. A creamy tan queen with a few stripes of dark brown gives her introduction. "Hello, young ones. I am Daisyheart. My kits are delighted to meet you!" She purrs sweetly. She waves her tail for her kits to introduce themselves. A tom-kit that looks like his mother, but with hazel eyes instead of green, pipes up. "I am Pebblekit!"

A second kit, a black she-kit with pretty green eyes introduces herself as Pantherkit. The third, a brown and white she-kit, meows, "I'm Fawnkit."

The last kit to speak his name catches my eye. He looks strong for such a young kit, a dark brown tom with even darker, almost black stripes, and striking bright green eyes. His shoulders are broad, his body thin and quick-looking. He looks me in the eyes with a piercing yet friendly glare, and purrs with a friendly voice, "Hello, I am Tigerkit. I have looked forward to meeting you."

I approach the tom-kit and breathe in his scent, like fresh pinesap with a hint of earthiness. I almost shout, but instead I speak coolly, "Hi, I am Ravenkit! Nice to meet you!" I twitch my tail nervously, hoping that Tigerkit doesn't reject me as a friend. Thank StarClan, he nods approvingly. He turns and dashes into the nursery, and for a heartbeat I am afraid he ran away, but he returns to the clearing with balls of moss clamped in his jaws. He drops them, and mews, "Wanna play mossball?" I look at him, confused. I tilt my head and ask, "How do you play?"

The sturdy kit chuckles a bit and waves his siblings over with his tail. "Watch and learn," he instructs.

Pantherkit lets out a yowl of excitement, and the game begins. Tigerkit tosses the ball of moss into the air with a thrust of his head. The ball soars in the air for just a second, and then Pantherkit rears up on her hind paws, batting the ball back up with a front paw. The ball slices to the right, and Pebblekit jerks his head to keep the moss in the air with his nose. The ball flies back to Tigerkit, who tosses it to Fawnkit, and the cycle goes back again. After a few more tosses, Tigerkit yowls, "Next round! Someone toss in another ball!"

Mintkit, who is watching from a few tail-lengths away, fetches a second wad of moss and throws it in to the game. Tigerkit tosses both balls, one going to Pantherkit and one soaring over to Pebblekit. The moss flies and is passed through the air several times, and when both balls find themselves again to Pebblekit, he bats out with his paws, but he misses them by a whisker. The moss balls land on the ground. Tigerkit purrs, "Good try, Pebblekit, but you're out." Pebblekit purrs and steps out of the game. Pantherkit glares at her littermates with a look of challenge and playfulness. "Now it's the three of us, Fawnkit and Tigerkit!" She bellows excitedly. She waves her tail, and Mintkit retrieves a third ball of moss. Pantherkit lets out a little squeak, pummels the moss, and they shoot into the air like a startled crow. One of them makes its way over to Fawnkit, while two fly to Tigerkit, who hits the balls with front paws, rearing up on his hind legs. They keep batting at the moss until eventually, Fawnkit drops two of the balls and is called out. She goes to sit and watch the game as Mintkit tosses in a fourth ball, and the two start the next round. Pantherkit aims and the balls fly, both kits tossing the balls with great accuracy. After a while, Pantherkit throws the moss at Tigerkit, and he leaps up to bat at them, but misses all but one of them. He snickers at his own clumsiness, being a good sport. Pantherkit yowls triumphantly and helps her brother up with a nudge. "Good game," Tigerkit comments. "Great job, Pantherkit!"

The black she-kit mews in delight and accepts the praise. "So basically," Tigerkit looks at me. "You have to keep the moss in the air, and if it falls on the ground, you're out!" I nod in understanding. We try a few games, and I have much trouble, but after a lot of practice, I get the hang of the sport. After a long time that feels like just heartbeats, we are tired and panting, all kits happy. We don't have to be called in, we all just tumble into the nursery, where we drink our fill of milk and cuddle up to our mothers. I smell and feel Tigerkit inching closer to me from his nest. He whispers, "That was a fun day! I like you, Ravenkit. You and me, we're gonna be good friends!" And with that, his head droops after a few seconds, and I feel my own breathing slowing and my head going dark as I fall into pleasant sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I open my icy eyes to hazy light peeking through the nursery's bramble walls. I get up and paw at Petalcloud's belly lightly. She lifts her head and breathes in deeply. "What is it, darling?" She questions.

I duck my head sheepishly. I meow softly, "I can't remember where the dirtplace is, and I need to go..."

She nods and flicks her tail. "You know where the clearing veers off towards the edge of camp?" She asks.

I nod my head. There is a path that leads to the left of camp, and into a protective barrier of thicket. Petalcloud explains the way, and I follow the path, enter the dirtplace, do my business, and leave. I smell a tangy smell, and a fishy, disgusting stench hits my nose, heading for the entrance to the camp. I know something must be done, so I run to Birchstar's den. The leader notices me, with my ruffled fur and panting breath. He looks at me with alarm. "What is wrong, kit? Shouldn't you be in the nursery?"

I nod, and then shake my head. "It's-I smell something. It smells gross, and it's heading towards camp. It smells like cats, but not from ShadowClan," I explain in a hurry. The ShadowClan leader glares angrily. I cower down. "I'm sorry if I upset or bothered you..." I trail off nervously, shaking.

Birchstar's gaze softens. "No, it's not you," he assures. "I think we are being invaded. Good job on reporting the strange smell to me." I nod. My fur fluffs up at the word 'invaded'. I speak in a scared voice, almost a whisper. "What do I do?"

"Tell your mother that RiverClan is invading, and she will know what to do," he orders. I nod grimly and rush to the nursery, explaining the events to Petalcloud. Her pelt bristles and she wakes the other mothers, telling them to get all the kits. She scoops Icekit and Sparrowkit up in her jaws, carrying them away. I am afraid for a heartbeat that she has left Smokekit and me behind, but she returns to grasp us carefully between her teeth. We are taken to a hidden passage, behind the nursery and into a tunnel that smells fowl. We are brought together with our siblings, and Petalcloud orders us to stay while she helps the other queens with their kits. While we wait, I feel a rumbling, and a roaring sound booms above our heads. I cower next to my brothers and sister. I smell the scent of Petalcloud and the other queens and kits, mixed in with the rank smell of the tunnel. "What's that sound," I shiver as I speak, "And that smell?"

My mother brushes her tail over my back, soothing me. "We are under the Thunderpath, and the monsters always run on it. The smell is just the scent they give off, and sometimes there are puddles of their nasty-smelling leavings on the Thunderpath. The twolegs only built it a few moons before you were born, so a lot of monsters use this new path to get around." She purrs grimly. "You're okay, my kits. You'll be fine."

Icekit hisses, "Why are we even in here? It's scary!" Petalcloud shakes her head, and hushes the fluffy she-kit by placing the tips of her tail over her mouth. Tigerkit stumbles toward me in the dim lighting.

I hear yowls of anger and screeches of pain. Sounds of battle fill my ears and echo from the camp. I shiver in fear. What is the outcome of this? I feel dizzy when I hear a wail of sadness from a clanmate. I squeeze my eyes shut and try not to think of what is happening. I give in to the dizziness and feel my head slump forward, dragging me to the darkness of unconsciousness.

"Ravenkit? Ravenkit, please be alright!" I hear the words, but I feel hazy and my head is pounding. I don't even know who is speaking to me; I am stuck in a strange state. I shake my head and try to clear my mind. My vision is normal again, but I still feel light. My mother stands over me, and the smell of the monsters are faded. We are in the camp, the medicine den, I realize. I breathe in and choke on the scent of blood.

"What happened?" I ask. Petalcloud flicks her tail. "It's over, is all that matters. We don't need to relive the scene." She mews. I nod and look around. Leafmist looks at me from her mixing of herbs.

"You were asleep for a day," the medicine cat informs me. "Be glad you missed the gore, young kit."

I don't reply, but I get to my paws and walk steadily to the nursery. On my way passing, I see a few bodies in the middle of the clearing. A brown apprentice called Pinepaw, a gray warrior known as Cinderfang, and a black, longfurred body. I rush to the cat, and later look into the amber eyes of my father. I nudge him, and he does not move. I push him with my paws. "Blackfeather, wake up! Come on, you can't sleep here," I meow.

He will not wake up. "Blackfeather, get up! Get up, dad!" I yowl, starting to feel alarmed.

This time I wail, "Help! He won't wake up! Please, get him up!" Birchstar steps up behind me and swivels his head side to side. "It's no use. He is gone. I'm sorry, young one."

My eyes burn with sadness and denial. I thrust myself to lay over my father, and I stay like that until they take him away, to be buried under the earth.


	4. Chapter 4

My eyes open to see Pantherkit in my face. She pants, "We get to be apprentices today! Hurry, come on!"

Over the past few moons, Pantherkit, Tigerkit, and a lot of the other kits have been my good friends, supporting me and making my life so much more fun. Tigerkit yips, "Finally! I'm going to be one of the best warriors ShadowClan has ever seen!"

I snort with laughter. "Remember," I chide. "We are becoming APPRENTICES, not full grown warriors, silly!" I wave my tail happily, and we all bound out of the den. So many kits to assign mentors to! Birchstar looks down invitingly from the stump in the hollow. All cats are gathered below. Our numbers have grown since the past generations. The Clan chatters and gossips, until our leader holds up a paw, signaling for silence.

"Thank you," the brown and black-striped tom begins. "Today our kits-many of them, I might add-

are ready to take the first step and place their paws on their chosen paths. Please step forward, Bluekit."

The kits are called one by one, and I cheer for each of them. It is down to just me, Tigerkit, and Sparrowkit now. I lift my head with an encouraging signal as Tigerkit steps up. His muscles ripple with excitement as our leader speaks the words. "I do." I hear Tigerkit meow. Birchstar nods and gazes down at the young tom.

Birchstar announces that Wolfclaw is his new mentor. I tilt my head into the air and yowl, "Tigerpaw! Tigerpaw!" The new apprentice approaches me and mews, "Thanks! And good luck."

The ShadowClan leader flicks his ear, and Tigerpaw nudges me forward. I stand by the stump where our leader announces the ceremony. "Ravenkit," the strong leader meows to me. "You have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to be apprenticed."

I feel my heart beating inside my chest, I am so excited! Birchstar continues, "Do you promise to train to the best of your abilities and follow the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" His yellow gaze strikes mine, and I do not reply for a heartbeat. I am thinking of what he expects of me. I must follow the path of a warrior, and train, hunt, and fight for ShadowClan, even if I die doing so. I breathe in deeply and my voice shakes a little as I accept my task. "I do."

Our leader nods. "Then by the approval of StarClan, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Ravenpaw. You will be mentored by Lightstep. I hope that she passes down all she has learned and that you will find yourself, and become the best cat you can be."

Lightstep pads towards me, her paws making no sound as she glides through the crowd of cats and over to stand before me. The pretty tortoiseshell looks at me with warm green eyes. I wait for her cue, and then touch noses with her. "You'll do great!" She whispers.

Finally, it is Sparrowkit's turn. Birchstar parts his jaws to announce the ceremony, but Sparrowkit interrupts. "I wish to say something," he declares. Our leader waves a paw in acceptance.

Sparrowkit lifts his head proudly, as if he thinks he is very important. "I wish to follow the path of a medicine cat." My brother speaks wisely. I hadn't realized how mature and intelligent he had grown. Of course, I should have known, with all the time he spent in the medicine clearing as a kit.

"Then that is your choice," the ShadowClan leader replies. "You will train to be a medicine cat. I hope Leafmist will pass on all of her knowledge, both in healing and spiritual matters, down to you."

The tabby medicine cat approaches with an obliged look on her face. She touches noses with her new apprentice. Now every cat has a mentor. We are all ready to follow our destinies. We are the future of our Clan.


	5. Chapter 5

My eyes open to see Pantherkit in my face. She pants, "We get to be apprentices today! Hurry, come on!"

Over the past few moons, Pantherkit, Tigerkit, and a lot of the other kits have been my good friends, supporting me and making my life so much more fun. Tigerkit yips, "Finally! I'm going to be one of the best warriors ShadowClan has ever seen!"

I snort with laughter. "Remember," I chide. "We are becoming APPRENTICES, not full grown warriors, silly!" I wave my tail happily, and we all bound out of the den. So many kits to assign mentors to! Birchstar looks down invitingly from the stump in the hollow. All cats are gathered below. Our numbers have grown since the past generations. The Clan chatters and gossips, until our leader holds up a paw, signaling for silence.

"Thank you," the brown and black-striped tom begins. "Today our kits-many of them, I might add-

are ready to take the first step and place their paws on their chosen paths. Please step forward, Bluekit."

The kits are called one by one, and I cheer for each of them. It is down to just me, Tigerkit, and Sparrowkit now. I lift my head with an encouraging signal as Tigerkit steps up. His muscles ripple with excitement as our leader speaks the words. "I do." I hear Tigerkit meow. Birchstar nods and gazes down at the young tom.

Birchstar announces that Wolfclaw is his new mentor. I tilt my head into the air and yowl, "Tigerpaw! Tigerpaw!" The new apprentice approaches me and mews, "Thanks! And good luck."

The ShadowClan leader flicks his ear, and Tigerpaw nudges me forward. I stand by the stump where our leader announces the ceremony. "Ravenkit," the strong leader meows to me. "You have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to be apprenticed."

I feel my heart beating inside my chest, I am so excited! Birchstar continues, "Do you promise to train to the best of your abilities and follow the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" His yellow gaze strikes mine, and I do not reply for a heartbeat. I am thinking of what he expects of me. I must follow the path of a warrior, and train, hunt, and fight for ShadowClan, even if I die doing so. I breathe in deeply and my voice shakes a little as I accept my task. "I do."

Our leader nods. "Then by the approval of StarClan, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Ravenpaw. You will be mentored by Lightstep. I hope that she passes down all she has learned and that you will find yourself, and become the best cat you can be."

Lightstep pads towards me, her paws making no sound as she glides through the crowd of cats and over to stand before me. The pretty tortoiseshell looks at me with warm green eyes. I wait for her cue, and then touch noses with her. "You'll do great!" She whispers.

Finally, it is Sparrowkit's turn. Birchstar parts his jaws to announce the ceremony, but Sparrowkit interrupts. "I wish to say something," he declares. Our leader waves a paw in acceptance.

Sparrowkit lifts his head proudly, as if he thinks he is very important. "I wish to follow the path of a medicine cat." My brother speaks wisely. I hadn't realized how mature and intelligent he had grown. Of course, I should have known, with all the time he spent in the medicine clearing as a kit.

"Then that is your choice," the ShadowClan leader replies. "You will train to be a medicine cat. I hope Leafmist will pass on all of her knowledge, both in healing and spiritual matters, down to you."

The tabby medicine cat approaches with an obliged look on her face. She touches noses with her new apprentice. Now every cat has a mentor. We are all ready to follow our destinies. We are the future of our Clan.


	6. Chapter 6

"Invasion! RiverClan is invading again!" The words wake me up. It had been several moons since RiverClan had brought battle upon ShadowClan, and I'd only been an apprentice for about three or four moons. Tigerpaw leaps to his paws and dashes out of the den, hurtling himself into the battle. I follow, alarmed. I observe the scene around me. Redfern, a newly made warrior, fights against two other cats. A dark brown tom leaps upon me, and I am pinned. I thrust my paws and claws up into his belly, and he quickly turns tail and streaks away. What a coward. A white she-cat hurdles herself towards me, but I am awake and ready. I leap over her, and swing my paw out, striking her face. She yowls and rears up to slash, but I leap and pin her, digging my claws into her exposed stomach. Her face twists in pain, and I decide that she should have a chance to escape.

"Had enough, fish-breath?" I screech. She nods her head vigorously, and I loosen my grip to let her slide away and hurtle out of the clearing. I see a larger black tom cornering Tigerpaw. I quickly bound over and kick his side, and the invader is thrown to the ground. I stand side by side with Tigerpaw, ready to defend him. "Are you okay?" He asks me. I nod, and we both slash out at the black cat, working together to tear at his face and making sure he doesn't have enough time to strike back. The tom lifts his paw to take a blow to my head, and when he does, I stretch my head out and grip it in my teeth. I bite down hard, and he yowls in pain and withdraws his paw, streaking off out of the camp. Tigerpaw looks at me. "Nice!" He praises my defense move. Two RiverClan apprentices charge for us, striding at the same time, working together. Tigerpaw manages to tear one's ear with a bite, and he runs. Tigerpaw huffs and gives me a nod before charging off back into battle. The she-cat before me is about my size, almost a warrior. Her eyes are cold with hatred. I aim and try to score her face, but she ducks, thrusting her paws out to where I fall to the ground. She lands on me, pinning me down. She digs her claws into my neck. I know what she is doing, she is trying to kill me. I do the only thing I can. I relax my body and give a false dramatic exhale, keeping enough breath to fool my opponent. She loosens her grip, smirking with pride in her "kill". At that moment, I thrust up and tumble over so that I am on top of her. I rip my claws down her throat, and before I know it, she is dead. I didn't mean to. I got scared, and defended myself. I look at the eyes of the cat, and she stares past me, at a place where I cannot see. I hope she doesn't try to harm me from StarClan. I know she will go to StarClan, because I know she was only following orders from her leader. She was loyal, and had done what she had meant to do, almost. The other invaders flee around us, and a white tom with a gray paw leaps to the cat I'd killed. He spreads his body across hers, cradling her. "I'm sorry..." I offer.

The tom growls, "You...You killed my daughter. I will kill every single one of your ShadowClan filth! I swear on my life, I will shred you!"

He drags the body of his daughter across the clearing, and another warrior helps him. They take the body with difficulty, blood smearing on the forest floor. I stand and stare in shock and horror. Tigerpaw slides in beside me, and rests his tail on my back to give some comfort. I respond by pressing against him, letting his tail go over my back soothingly. "It's alright," Tigerpaw assures. "You were just defending yourself. The code says that if it's necessary, then it must be done."

I breathe in deeply, drawing in Tigerpaw's fresh pine scent, and exhale, letting my worries go out like that breath. "I know. Thank you," I meow finally. "But what reason does RiverClan have for attacking us like this?"

"I have no idea," replies Tigerpaw. Sparrowpaw steps up to me, sniffing me all around.

"What are you doing?" I ask my brother. "Checking for wounds," the dark brown apprentice replies.

I nod my head, just now realizing the throbbing pain of my wounds. Sparrowpaw shakes his head.

"Your throat is badly scratched, and you've got a nasty bite on your tail. I shall have to put some salve on it." I let my brother lead me to the medicine clearing, where he sits me down and starts applying a solution that must have been prepared earlier onto my wounds. It stings a little, but feels good after the stinging wears off. "Just Marigold, dock leaf, and Tansy to prevent infection..." he explains while applying the salve.

After my wounds have been treated, I step out of the medicine clearing, looking around for my Clanmates. I see Icepaw, her white fur patched with dried crimson blood. I streak over to her side. "Icepaw! Are you okay? " my voice is shrill with worry. I sniff at her pelt, relaxing a bit as I find out that most of the blood is not her own. "Yea, I just about mauled a RiverClan cat. They were very fierce! They weren't just fighting, they were trying to kill!" She snarls.

I nod. "Well, you should get cleaned up before someone sees you and freaks out like I did," I meow, half joking. "And get any wounds you have checked out." The white apprentice dips her head and I turn, and as I do I see Smokepaw heading towards me. "Are you okay? Icepaw! You-"

"Most of the blood is RiverClan's." Icepaw explains.

Smokepaw nods, breathing deeply. Sparrowpaw takes care of the other cats, including Icepaw, and retreats into the medicine den, exhausted from running around and tending to wounds. I head to the warriors' den to see my mother stretched out in her nest. Her eyes are dark and sullen; she lets out a sigh of sadness.

"Petalcloud," I lean towards her and lick her head. "Everything is fine now, everything's taken care of..."

I stroke her shoulder with my tongue, soothing her anxieties.

"Ravenpaw," the pretty white and gray she-cat mews at last. She raises her head wearily, and I can see the outstretched marks of claw wounds coming from her belly to her throat. "You're so brave, my daughter. Just like your father. You remember Blackfeather, don't you?" Her blue eyes gleam and she rests her head against me.

"Of course," I reply, and Petalcloud goes on.

"Well, I sure miss him. He hunts with StarClan now. I'm sure he's watching over us all right now..." She yawns and her eyelids close. I lay there until her breath steadies and I know she is asleep, then I gently stand and pad to the apprentices' den, where I settle into my own bed of moss. I stare up at the bramble ceiling, unable to sleep. I stay like that for what seems like forever, until finally, my eyes droop and I fall into a state of dreaming.

**Note: I'd really appurreaciate it if more people would review. It would help a lot. :3**

** Thank Mew Fur Reading, You're a Purrfect Audience! ~ Alluri**


	7. Chapter 7

My vision clears and I look around me. The surroundings are beautiful; tall trees with green leaves and pink buds, birds chirping all around... It's so peaceful. I hear the steady trickling of water, and I turn my head to see a clear stream running smoothly nearby.

A figure approaches me, the figure of a cat. His black fur is shining with health, his golden eyes gleaming with pride. He looks strong, and his fur seems to glow, like stars. I immediately recognize the feathery-furred tom. "Blackfeather!" I exclaim, bounding up to my father and rubbing my cheek along his.

"Ravenpaw, my daughter," he meowed wisely. "I've been watching over you, your mother, and your siblings. I am very proud of you."

"Father, I miss you, so much! Petalcloud does, too. She's been sad since the invasions started to get worse..." I trail off, a churning I'm my stomach telling me to not bring up the subject of my sullen mother.

"I know things seem like they are bad, but trust me. You must be brave. You have a great destiny before you, and it is up to you whether it will be a good or a bad one..." Blackfeather licks the top of my head, and then backs away. He begins to fade, but before I wake up, I hear these words: "Be strong, Ravenpaw, be strong!"

I wake to the golden lights streaming through the branches of the walls that make up the den. The dream still in my mind, I purr. It was good to see my father again, and his words had filled me with hope. I rise to my paws, letting a yawn escape from my jaws.

"Ravenpaw!" A voice calls to me. I recognise it as Lightstep, and I make my way out of the den. "Yes, Lightstep?" I answer, and the tortoiseshell warrior comes to stand in front of me. "We will be hunting today," she explained. "Get some prey in your stomach, and we'll head out with a few others."

I nod and pick up a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, and gobble it down within a few moments. My ear twitches contentedly, and I pad to the entrance of camp, waiting for the other cats to come. Soon enough, they pad towards me. Five cats, one of them being Lightstep, lift their heads, ready to train.

There is Pantherpaw, with her mentor Emberfur, Pebblepaw and Vinetail, and Silverpaw alongside Sageleaf. The mentors take the lead, us apprentices trailing behind and chattering to one another. "I bet I can catch the biggest piece of prey!" Boasted Silverpaw, smirking in the thought of ripping her claws through an animal. I chuckle and continue walking.

Once we are in the more forested area of the territory, Lightstep speaks out, "Today you will be practicing stalking and hunting techniques that you've previously been taught. Try hard, and do your best. " We nod, my tail lashing against the forest floor in excitement.

"We are going to start our practice today with some competition," Vinetail adds. "You will each head into a different direction, and when you hear the signal-which will be two yowls- you will return. The apprentice with the most prey wins. By the most prey I mean higher in number, and bigger size in animal. Spread out!" He orders, and we disperse.

I veer left, seeking the shadows of trees and bushes that tower above. I notice that Silverpaw heads right, Pebblepaw a bit farther down than her, and Pantherpaw to the opposite of Pebblepaw.

I lift my head and take in a deep breath, observing the scents that surround me. I listen, as well, and look. I let the nature melt into me, allow it to become part of me. My ear swivels to hear the chirrup of a crow. I see the dark feathered creature perched upon a branch, and I slither towards it, silent as a butterfly flapping its graceful wings.

I dig my claws into the tree, getting a good grip as I climb. The bird is busy picking at a caterpillar that teases it from a safe hole in the pine. I make my moves quicker, while at the same time making sure I don't fall. I prepare to leap, my joints ready. I spring forward and the bird let's out a terrified caw, but I am too fast. I drag it down with my teeth and hold it to the branch, where I bite its neck swiftly.

I smile, pleased with my capture. I leap down the tall tree, landing smoothly on the ground. I move on after I bury the prey I've caught. I let my eyes scan over the landscape, my scent and hearing working as well. My icy blue eyes spot a rabbit peaking out of its hole, and then gingerly scurrying out further to nibble at a patch of clover. I know that the animal will hear me before seeing or smelling me, so I creep up on it with the most careful of pawsteps.

I dash forward when I am about a tail-length away from the fat rabbit. I leap into the air, preparing to crash down on it and I'll it, but before I even land, the animal begins to streak away. I pant as I spring myself further and further, determined to catch this creature.

It feels like forever before I finally corner the rabbit up between a boulder and a thick tree. I crack its spine with a blow from my paw. It is paralysed, and I strike forward to nip the base of its neck. Thank StarClan! I caught it! On my way to bury the rabbit and continue, I scent a mouse sitting on a tree root. I drop the rabbit and start to advance on it...

Then two yowls split into the air and the small brown rodent scampers away. I pick up the sparrow, and I drag the two pieces of prey to the original spot that we dispersed from. The mentors looked approvingly at all of our catches. "Great work!" Emberfur praises. I smile.

Pebbles tilts his head in thought. He had caught only two measly shrews. Pantherpaw had managed a squirrel, and Silverpaw lifts her head up in pride at her bounty. Her expression was as if she was better than the rest of us! I catch a glance at her kill. Two finches, a squirrel, and a rabbit!

"Silverpaw wins the challenge," announces Sageleaf.

"Now, moving on..."

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** Thank Mew Fur Reading! 3~ Alluri **


	8. Chapter 8

I have patrol duty today. Petalcloud decided to join us, and it makes me happy that she is out and about. Lightstep also invited Bluepaw and Jaymask. As we calmly check the borders, marking the scent line as well, I smell a rotten scent. It is laced with RiverClan smell. I go to check it out.

Just across the RiverClan border, at least a few steps into ShadowClan land, lies a mangled black body. It is small and feathered, but terribly rotted. My lips curl into a snarl as I realise what it is. My eyes grow wide in surprise. For some reason, this scares me.

I let out a shriek, and the others come racing to my sides. "It's just stolen prey," Bluepaw meows. I shake my head and continue to stare at the dead animal. The bird that is deteriorating before me is none other than the rotting body of a raven.

After insisting that we bring the raven to camp for inspection, the others give in. I race into the medicine den with the bird hanging from my jaws. Leafmist scowls in disgust. "Why did you bring crow-food here?" She demands. But Sparrowpaw has a different reaction.

The medicine cat apprentice takes the raven from me, laying it on the ground. "It is an omen!" He exclaims. "An omen, meant for you, Ravenpaw!" I am startled by this. Could a rotting, ragged dead raven mean my future?

"B-but what does it mean?" I question warily. Sparrowpaw's eyes gleam with an epic knowledge.

"You must stay strong, Ravenpaw. Work hard to fulfill your destiny. Should you choose the wrong path," he warns, gesturing his paw to the dead bird. "Your fate will not end well..."

I dash out of camp, seeking the peaceful pine forest. I have to think about this, I have to calm my whirling thoughts. I eventually find myself in the Pine Hollow, and I plant myself down, sitting with my feathery tail curled around my paws.

Suddenly, I gasp. A raven perches on a branch above. It lets out a caw. Another comes along, and another, and another... A whole flock of ravens are crying out now. A whole slew of them, too many to count. Their loud sounds wave over me, filling me with a strong and tingling energy.

I open my eyes. I lay stretched out in the hollow. No ravens are to be seen, and yet I still hear their song ringing in my ears. It was a dream, and yet it felt so real. I slip back into camp and tell Sparrowpaw about my dream in the Pine Hollow. He mews, "StarClan must have an eye out for you, sending omen after omen!" I tip my head at this.

"But there has only been two," I reply in a hushed tone. The black tom shakes his head. "Oh, but there have been many more."


	9. Chapter 9

"Wha- What do you mean?" I stammer, staring at my brother in confusion. Sparrowpaw flicks his ear and looks into my eyes grimly.

"Well... When I first became the medicine cat apprentice, I saw you walking around camp, and you had a raven's feather tucked into your fur." He explains the first incident. "Then, one day while collecting herbs, a raven swooped down and snatched the tansy right from my jaws... And add the recent omens to, well-" he motions with his tail to above my head, where an ebony raven steadies itself in the air, keeping a close watch on me, as if it is guarding me. I nod in understanding. "But is my fate a good one or a bad one?" I ask my littermate anxiously. Sparrowpaw's ear twitches as if expecting me to know this.

"Well, that's really up to you," he replies before Leafmist summons him to sort the herbs. Suddenly, I see Tigerpaw enter the camp with prey in his jaws, Silverpaw just behind him. I watch as they place the prey on the pile, and my heart almost beats into my brain as Tigerpaw gazes over at me nonchalantly. I gather up the courage to walk over to him. I am about to ask if he'd go on a walk with me, when Silverpaw asks him to share prey with her. The striped tom accepts, carrying a squirrel over to a sunny spot in camp, where he sits with the beautiful she-cat, her fur the color of spring rain, or a star in the sky. Her crystalline blue eyes sparkle in the darkening light.

Depressed by this defeat, I enter the apprentice's den and lie down, too upset to eat. I really like Tigerpaw, and it pains me to see him interested with another cat. I guess I shouldn't be jealous; if anything I should be happy with them. I cannot stop thinking about this, and by the time that the light fades, casting a blanket of stars across the sky for the night and all cats are in their nests fast asleep. My green eyes still stare up at the bramble wall of the den, unable to calm my thoughts. It takes forever to fall into unconsciousness...

I wake up into a very dark place. The trees are bare and black, the air chilled and unclear. Fog coats the ground, blocking the view of my paws. The floor of this place feels hard and uncomfortable. It appears to still be night. I don't know exactly where I am. I gaze around, frightened by the eerie silence of the scene.

Suddenly, I smell an unfamiliar yet pleasant scent. It smells like dew resting upon a rose petal, and the scent is peaceful and beautiful. And that is when a figure appears. It is the sleek pelt of a deep crimson she-cat. Her tail is long and she holds it high, as if of high rank. Her eyes are shocking: a striking vibrant neon purple, like a streak of lightning tearing through a stormy night. Her ears are erect and her claws unsheathed, the poise of a very important being.

"Hello, Ravenpaw," she speaks. Her voice is silky and smooth as the downy coating of a bird's newborn baby.

"I welcome you to the Forest of Night. I am Velvetwing, and I suppose you could call me the leader of this place. Now, I know it might not look appealing, but this is the place where cats become strong. I have been watching you, and I noticed that you could use a little assistance in your life," she explains.

I'm not so sure about this. Something seems underhanded, not right. Alas, I suppose I have to admit that my life is not as perfect as it started out to be. "What kind of help?" I question.

"Oh, all sorts. I can make your dreams come true. I can assist in making you stronger, so that you can protect your Clan. I could get you far. You could become a leader! You could, say, win the heart of the tom you desire, hmm?" She flashes me a smile of temptation. That last part catches me off guard. I desperately want Tigerpaw to like me the same way I like him! Plus, she mentioned defending my Clan! So she can't be that bad... And yet something still feels startlingly wrong.

"How can I be sure that I am able to trust you?" I give the conniving cat a look of uncertainty. She simply brushes her pelt against mine, her tail petting my back reassuringly. She gives my ear a gentle lick.

"Darling, I've been watching you since you've been born. And I have the ability to hear the thoughts of others, so I know you're a bit unsure of yourself. I also know that you and your mother are struggling with the death of your father, not to mention what your Clanmates think! They believe that your poor mother is going insane, and she gives reason for them to think so. She drones on, hardly paying any attention to things, daydreaming and muttering to herself, hardly being active any more..."

"My mother is just going through a bit of grief, that's all!" I fire back defensively.

"And yet others think you're not as good as them. Especially Silverpaw, who knows she can take Tigerpaw any time she wants. Don't you want to be better than that show-off?" She tilts her head at me.

"Of course I do!" I practically shout. I cannot stand being undermined by others.

"Then I'll help you with that. If you come to me in your dreams every night, I will make you better. I'll build you into a cat that nobody can take down. You'll be undefeated, invincible! I will lead you to glory! You can trust me, I promise. As long as you're loyal. You _are _loyal,aren't you?" She glares at me with her electric eyes.

"Yes, yes I am," I nod, puffing my chest out. This is the chance of a life time! I'm so lucky to have this opportunity! From now on, I decide, I shall be a cat of the Forest of Night.


End file.
